Denmark Hill to London Bridge Closure

[JesusCappuccino]

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[mikeb]

Mo - I don't think anyone is saying that Peckham or ED deserve better transport than Camberwell. I for one would support the reopening of Camberwell station but let's face it, that train left the station with Beeching. What I am against is the closure of existing useful transport links. Anyway, the impact on Denmark Hill / Peckham Rye as much a problem for Camberwell residents as those of ED.

Obviously, I welcome whole-heartedly the prospect of the tram, although even TfL doesn't see this opening until 2016. And whilst I personally might benefit from the "extension" of the ELL to Peckham, I think it's a pretty poor substitute for regular trains to Victoria & London Bridge.

Do we have any MPs actually living in the area that might care about this?

[OutOfFocus]

mikeb Wrote:

> I for one would support the reopening of Camberwell

> station but let's face it, that train left the

> station with Beeching.

Beeching might have done a lot of bad things but closing Camberwell wasnt one of them - see Wikipedia article on Camberwell station

[Jeremy]

Maurice Wrote:

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> ED has promise of more and better too.

Really? Southern have actually quoted that they cannot provide more rush hour trains to ED because there is no available space (particularly because of the Gatwick services).

[Quaywe]

70 signatures and counting in less than 24 hours!

Here's the link again: Online petition - Keep the South London Line link at Denmark Hill

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Mike b said: "Do we have any MPs actually living in the area that might care about this?"

You're havin' a laugh, surely.

[Siduhe]

What about trying to get some support (and signatures) from one or two of the many Dulwich 'celebs' who may use that station? Jenny Eclair may drive a Rolls, but I'm sure she hops on a train from Denmark Hill now and then. I know it shouldn't make a blind bit of difference, but profile is profile, right? Anyone have any contacts?

[timtim]

Signed

[Maurice]

I though Eclair was my neighbour in Camberwell. Oops I mean The Grove. Is ED claiming her too?

[Siduhe]

She's moved AFAIK: http://money.independent.co.uk/property/homes/article2974657.ece

House looks amazing from the outside too.

[Maurice]

Out of the 'more than slightly dodgy bit of Camberwell'. Oh my. What they must thing of the rest of it!

I'm inclined to agree. Another one bites the proverbial dust.

[Alan Dale]

She lives on Grove Lane. That is still in Camberwell.

Jenny- please sign the petition.

[Maurice]

Ah so she does live in The Grove. For ease call it East Dulwich. We like that. Jenny did do her bit for the Camberwell Baths so she's already paid her dues.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Spooky - now I've signed the petition I've received two PMs from Tessa Jowell!

[Michael Palaeologus]

So, she's an EDF member?

How's your General Knowldge Ms Jowell - fancy joining the EDF Pub Quiz Team?

[mikeb]

I bumped into the Commercial Director (Jan Chaudhry) of Southern this morning at the "meet the managers" event at London Bridge. He made a few valid points:

* Dept for Transport not TfL or Southern is responsible for this - whatever is decided will become part of the tender for the new franchise

* from his perspective, the biggest problem is that SLL can only handle 4 carriage trains at the moment: this makes it hard for SLL to "compete" with other lines coming into London Bridge

* he is also worried about what might happen to the Sydenham trains (my mind wandered at this point as I had not yet had my coffee)

* most effective thing to do would be to respond to the consultation document.

After posting last night, I got an email from Tessa Jowell's office this morning: she is planning to respond fairly robustly to this consultation. It's also quite encouraging that someone in her office reads this forum.

[TJMP]

This issue is now up on my website along with links to previous representations I made when a similar threat emerged last year:

Tessa Jowell - South London Link Under Threat!

I would welcome contributions that would help me argue the case with Network Rail. My earlier reps are, I think, a good starting point in relation to concerns of users from East Dulwich and beyond but I am sure that regular users will be able to help with further specific concerns. Please do email me directly if you prefer.

The deadline, as you will be aware from earlier postings, is 26 October.

Tessa Jowell

[Frisco]

"I mean The Grove. Is ED claiming her too?"

She lives on Grove Lane, but, from her writings, she seems to want to claim to be in ED herself. I moved to ED from Camberwell years ago, and you can keep it.

However, stopping the trains from London Bridge to Victoria (via Denmark Hill) would be stupid, and it probably illustrates National Rail's inability to be a constructive part of integrated transport systems.

[katgod]

One piece of good news for DH is that it is to become wheelchair and hence (whispers) buggy, friendly. There was an article in the King's newsletter I get about a campaign to get DH more accessible for patients. It is of course mad that the station for a major hospital is all steps. Anyway there was a coupon to cut out and send to TJMP (I like her abreviation!), which I duly did and then a while later received a copy of a letter, via TJMP from the Dec of State for something saying it was all agreed, funding sorted, DH in the first wave of stations to get accessibility upgrade. It all smelt a bit fishy to me - either someone at King's hadn't done their homework or it was all a puff to score easy brownie points, but whatever at least we will be able to use the station even if there are no trains.

[Maurice]

I agree about Camberwell but can you source where Jenny has said she lives in East Dulwich?

[Muttley]

Hey, I can't believe that nobody has commented on the fact that at 6.11pm this evening there was a post on this thread from TJMP (who registered today). Lot's of people register under 'famous' pseudonymns on EDF, Mr Nesbitt for example, but is this one genuine? The content seems bona fide.

[mockney piers]

It's genuine.

Well, at the very least it's from her office, can't guarantee authorship though. A bit like the Osbournes thread there I guess.

[Muttley]

mockney piers Wrote:

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> It's genuine.

> Well, at the very least it's from her office,

> can't guarantee authorship though. A bit like the

> Osbournes thread there I guess.

Hmm, been doing some detective work. At 6.11pm, "TJMP" posts on the EDF. At 7.15pm, she is on a panel in Stratford (just saw it on the news) talking about the Olympics bid. So are we to believe that the last thing she did before leaving the office was tap in her message, then pack her briefcase, leap into a cab and say "get me to Stratford quick!". Or maybe she had her laptop backstage and thought "ooh I have a few spare minutes, why don't I log on to EDF". Do I smell a rat?

[macroban]

Is it a criminal offence to impersonate an MP?

[Muttley]

Maybe the picture of TJ in Stratford was just pasted in after the event, that seems to be the done thing with sport and culture ministers these days....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/7018729.stm